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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27056224">and why would you lie?</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/watercolorwoods/pseuds/watercolorwoods'>watercolorwoods</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Minecraft (Video Game), Video Blogging RPF</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Blood, Canon Compliant, Character Study, Drabble, Gen, Introspection, Non-Graphic Violence, Technoblade-centric, Villain Jschlatt (Video Blogging RPF)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 20:42:21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>916</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27056224</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/watercolorwoods/pseuds/watercolorwoods</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>It's always kill or be killed.</i>
</p><p>-</p><p>The events of the tail end of Manberg's festival, but inside Techno's head.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>No Romantic Relationship(s)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>382</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>and why would you lie?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>ANOTHER DRABBLE AHHH THE FESTIVAL WAS NUTS!!</p><p>cw for a bit of violence, though it isn't graphic</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"You're gonna kill him. You're gonna kill him right now."</p><p>And suddenly, all Techno can see is the horrified look that passes over Tubbo's face in that instant. He glances over to Schlatt, his angry expression making his horns look especially menacing at this very moment, even despite his armorless state. When he looks at Alex, the man's suit is rumpled and his eyes are wide, lips parted like he might object.</p><p>He can't hear anything behind him. His palms start to sweat, and he wipes them on plates of his leggings. All there is is Tubbo, who's pressed himself now into the furthest corner of the concrete box. </p><p>"Murder him now! On this fucking stage! And make it hurt!" Schlatt yells out, finger pointed right in Techno's face. He shakes like a leaf, and the crowd's voices filter into his aching head.</p><p>"Schlatt, it's a <em> festival </em> man!"</p><p>"Techno, you have a say in this! Don't listen to him!"</p><p>It hurts to listen to Niki's screams. He tries to remind himself she's right, he can make the right decision. But telling himself that is hard when he turns to the three in the audience with the same gear he has, ready to pounce should he deny Schlatt's request. Kill or be killed. <em> Kill or be killed.  </em></p><p>
  <em> It's always kill or be killed. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> He remembers blood, only part of it belonging to him, and the glitching bodies right before they respawned elsewhere. A hand on his shoulder. A gentle, "You did well." </em>
</p><p>
  <em> His breaths came quickly and shakily. Exhaustion settles deep and heavy into his bones, his fingers too weak to hold his sword. It falls to the ground silently, sinking into the dirt blade first. His chest heaves, and he tips his head toward the sky. White, fluffy clouds greet him. He sees a bird fly past, illuminated in the sunlight. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> "You did what you had to," the voice in his ear tells him sweetly, petting his sweat-soaked hair softly. </em>
</p><p>It registers late that Schlatt is speaking and he catches the tail end of his rant.</p><p>"...are you kidding me?! My right hand man! I'd rather rule alone than with you. You fucking..."</p><p>The voice fades out, far far away. He squeezes his eyes shut. God, he wants to disappear. He'd rather be anywhere but here, with the ghost of that voice echoing in his head and the eyes of everyone on him. His grip on reality is slipping, and he's entirely helpless to it. It's just out of his reach, his fingers brushing it, just barely missing it.</p><p>He tries to even his breathing, to force it into something normal, but the pounding of his heart in his ears is all he can focus on. His fingers and toes are tingling, and he feels so cold. </p><p>The voices around him enter him through a filter, as if he's underwater, so muffled he can't make them out anymore.</p><p>"Okay," he whispers, blinking hard and dragging his gaze to his own hand. The voices of dozens fill his ears one by one, screaming no, telling him yes, bombarding him like a speeding train. </p><p>And above them all...</p><p>"Technoblade." So stern, so reminiscent of someone he used to know, someone he used to follow.</p><p>"Technoblade…" So horrified, so reminiscent of those he's hurt before, those he's <em> killed. </em></p><p>He freezes, his ears ringing violently and his hands shaking. Somewhere deep within him, his autopilot activates. His eyes are wide as he fumbles with his crossbow, loading it with a rocket, and he can't <em> stop. </em> He has to. "I'm loading it, I'm loading it," he pleads. <em> I'm doing well, right? </em></p><p>"I- was- I can't-"</p><p>"Tubbo." He says it so firmly he almost scares himself with it, and when he looks at Tubbo, he doesn't really see him.</p><p>"Yeah?" Tubbo's voice is tiny and nervous when he answers, instinctively sinking further into the corner.</p><p>"Tubbo, I'm sorry," he says, and his voice quivers. Slowly, he lifts the crossbow, tears in his eyes. He doesn't want to. He <em> has </em> to. <em> Kill or be killed,</em> he tells himself. "I'll make it as painless as possible, Tubbo."</p><p>He fires.</p><p>He feels if all lift off of his shoulders. He's so light, even as he watches the rockets explode in Schlatt, Tubbo, and Alex's faces. It feels right. Maybe he's meant for this. Maybe killing is all he's ever been meant for. Maybe he should keep going, and going, and going.</p><p>The blonde boy in front of him goes unseen. Quickly, he whips around, a grin on his face as he laughs. All he can think about is blood, the blood on his hands, the blood on the floor. He has to kill them. <em> You did what you had to. </em></p><p>
  <em> You're doing what you have to. </em>
</p><p>His hands are steady as he points the crossbow toward the crowd and fires, over and over and over again. He can't stop. He laughs and laughs, and keeps firing, and he thinks he's gone insane. He's gone mad with bloodlust, and it takes the reappearance of men as strong as him for him to snap out of it.</p><p>His chest heaves and he swallows thickly. The fireworks clear entirely, leaving behind only blood and the few survivors who threw their shields up in time. </p><p>He takes one look, smiles, and <em> runs. </em>The words of the others fall on deaf ears as he takes out his trident. </p><p>He's gone before it ever really hits him, what he's just done.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>comments &amp; kudos r my lifeline &lt;3</p><p>follow me on <a href="https://twitter.com/TECHN0PIG">twitter</a></p></blockquote></div></div>
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